4+ 🌟

Very little happened in this book that I didn't predict YET Macneal writes so wonderfully well that I thoroughly enjoyed it.
She puts you into that place, that time. Makes you believe in characters.
I read the last few chapters desperate to know how things would end.
It was very well done.
Another winner for the author I think.

This was my first Elizabeth Macneal novel and I will definitely be looking out for her other work. I love a good, Victorian gothic novel and this didn't disappoint.

Set in 1839, our main character, Bonnie, runs away from home to London and is 'rescued' by Crawford who begins and continues throughout to manipulate Bonnie to get her to help in his thieving and extortion activities in her belief that he loves her. An incident occurs and Bonnie fears being arrested by police. Crawford "helps her" by getting her a job in a fine gothic mansion outside London but what are his real motivations?

I foresaw most of the plot twists but that didn't affect my enjoyment. I was totally engrossed in it and finished it in just over a day. On occasions, some of the language used by one of the characters was a bit course which I didn't particularly like but given the setting of the slums of St. Giles in London, it was likely an accurate portrayal of the way they would have spoken.

Thank you to netgalley for the advanced copy.

4.5-5 stars

Elizabeth MacNeal is proof, to me, why you don't give up on an author straight away. When I had The Doll Factory, it took two attempts for me to read it. Initially I felt it wasn't my thing so I shelved it. But a couple of months later I picked it up again and read it in a matter of hours and loved it. And then when Circus of Wonders came out, I once again devoured it in a day. And so her latest book was always on my wishlist, and I was so happy to receive an early digital copy of it. It sounded fabulous and the cover is gorgeous (and I definitely do judge books by their covers)!

Elizabeth is excellent at creating a sense of time and place. We immediately see ourselves in the space, we are familiar with the setting, the clothes, the smells, the sights; it feels as normal as our everyday life, even if we are almost 200 years apart.

I was initially lost as to who was whom and what they were to each other, but I think that might have been more to do with my attention span than the book itself. But I definitely got more into it once the scenes in the house started, which happen very quickly actually.

I have read a lot, a lot, of books set in Victorian England, where a young woman, usually running from something or someone, ends up as a maid or housekeeper in a large house that isn't all it appears to be. And you'd think I'd get bored of them, because surely how many different stories can you get frrom that, sand yet I haven't. This is as good as any I've read. Familiarity throughout, but with a little added extra to make it different. I think for me, the main thing that stood out was it's subplot about cemeteries. This isn't a topic normally covered in books like this, and that's what made it interesting for me.

I was going through a little bit of a rough time when I read this, and so it took me longer to read than it normally would, which did frustrate me but I actually think it was a good thing, as it made me concentrate and hone in on smaller details I might have missed if I'd read it at my normal speed. But by the time I got half way, I sped through it. The second half is far fuller than the first in terms of things actually happening, which meant the second half sped by.

It's a small cast of characters. Yes you've got secondary and background characters, and those already deceased. But for the main part, it's a small party, but that's given Elizabeth a chance to really delve into them and create marvellously layered characters.

Our main protagonist of Bonnie took a while to grow on me. Yes she is a young lady in a time where it wasn't easy for young ladies. But she felt a bit meek, juvenile, gullible, under the thumb of men. But I grew to like her and felt almost protective of her. She still had her moments where I felt her naïve and foolish, but it made her feel all the more natural.

You then have Mr Moncrieff and his daughter Cissie. A peculiar twosome. Full of secrets. But I felt them easier to warm to, even though I wasn't sure if they were completely good or not. But I thought them very intriguing.

And we have Bonnie's...lover, I suppose. Crawford. I didn't care for him. I won't go too much into him as I think a lot comes frrom the reading, but he felt slimy. Crawford. felt like a creepy crawly, and I wouldn't' trust him as far as I could throw him. And his friend Rex, desperate to match up. Despicable, the both of them, for reasons I won't go into. I felt almost embarrassment for them when they were on the page.

It isn't an obvious gothic thriller. There's no ghosts or ghouls or overly nefarious characters as such. It's subtle. It gets under your skin. For me, it's all about the character development and their conversations, rather than what's hiding in the shadows. I would say it's more gothic in terms of the setting rather than the goings on.

In hindsight I do think my favourite of hers so far has been Circus of Wonders, but that's not to poo-poo this one at all. It was highly interesting and entertaining, and I thoroughly recommend it to those who enjoy gothic thrillers.

I did read one early review that said the ending seemed a bit sudden for the complexities of what needed wrapping up, and so I was a little concerned about that. But I didn't find that. I thought everything ended in an appropriate way for the characters and where they were in their story.

I do love a gothic thriller. The position of Queen of the genre lies with Laura Purcell, but this is a wonderous contender.

Thank you to NetGalley, Pan Macmillan and Elizabeth Macneal for giving me the opportunity to read this ahead of release. It was a pleasure!

This book felt as if I was transported back in time. The writing was beautiful and classic, effortlessly timeless. The cover art also drew me in - and after reading it, can see how it ties in perfectly with the book.

After escaping an arranged marriage, Bonnie finds herself alone in an inn. A grifter, Crawford, takes her under his wing and into his bed, moulding her into his muse. Together with Crawford's dogsbody Rex, they take on the task of relieving the wealthy of their riches by preying on them in the pubs and backstreets of London.

But when Bonnie is unknowingly coerced into applying for a lady's maid position at the impressive Moncrieff residence, Crawford isn't far behind with his dastardly notions.

This book was so unique, unlike anything I've ever read. It stirred up so many emotions.. Bonnie's character was impeccably written. I felt every emotion alongside her. Her bitterness, hatred, confusion, longing, lust, distrust, relief.. I felt like I held my breath throughout this whole book just praying she'd get her happy ever after!

Mr. Moncrieff was another favourite of mine, along with Cissie. Cissie's innocence and grief, her naivety and immature notions of romance, it was perfectly executed. And I loved the bond she built with Bonnie despite everything she'd been through and seen.

I can't wait to go and read more of Elizabeth Macneal's books!

Published 6 June 2024. Just had to pick up Elizabeth Macneal's newest novel and I wasn't disappointed. Once again a twist Gothic novel set, this time, around the Victorian obsession, almost, with death. There are not enough places to bury the dead and this is the time of the the grand cemeteries - Highgate Cemetery was established in 1839. Bonnie has fled from home and is now in London's underworld with her partner, Crawford, involved in a bit of fraud and a bit of theft. When something goes wrong and Bonnie fears that she will be arrested, Crawford convinces her to take up the position of a maid in a grand house on the banks of the Thames, a house owned by a widower, Mr Moncrieff, and who lives there with his daughter, Cissie. Moncrieff's primary occupation seems to be obsessively drawing mausoleums for his dead wife, Josephine, who had drowned. However, Bonnie soon finds that maybe Crawford did not merely have her safety at heart when he found her this position and that she is not as in control of her life as she had thought. This is a gorgeous story of manipulation. As a reader you fear not only for Bonnie, but the Moncrieffs. The feeling of unease grows as the book continues - as Bonnie is always looking over her shoulder for the arrest which she still fears, and then for whatever Crawford is planning. I loved reading about the building of the cemetery - as someone who enjoys a good wander around a graveyard - and although Bonnie didn't really get under my skin, I became engrossed in her situation. What was Crawford planning? I've now read three Elizabeth Macneal and hope she writes another one soon.

A mysterious twisted gothic horror. But who is tricking who?

We all want to live in a fancy house, but Bonnie will do whatever it takes to makes that a reality.

A perfect weekend read with punchy chapters, that will keep you guessing.

The writer’s craft is 5++ stars.
She transports you to this gothic world with her descriptions and interesting characters.
The plot was not my favourite - 4-4.5 stars, just out of personal taste, but overall, the mood, the setting and the characters are exquisite.
I will be reading Macneal’s other work and she is already one of my new favourite writers.

A new book from Elizabeth Macneal always becomes one of my most anticipated books of a year. I loved The Doll Factory and enjoyed Circus of Wonders, and The Burial Plot sounded brilliant - Victorian cemeteries? Murder and manipulation? Yes, please!

This book is very dark; it might be even darker than The Doll Factory. Some descriptions of London and people are grimy, even unpleasant, and people are not very nice. Speaking of people, unfortunately I didn't like a single character in this book. I didn't click with anyone, didn't sympathise with them or root for them - neither for Bonnie, our protagonist, or Cissie, a young troubled girl in her care. Macneal's writing is superb, though, and I could read her vivid descriptions all day long, but overall the book lacked the gothic atmosphere. The twists and revelations were pretty predictable too. The Burial Plot has a fascinating premise (and a great title), but the execution wasn't great, in my opinion.

I'm still here for whatever Elizabeth Macneal writes next!

First of all, I just want to truly appreciate the cover...it's absolutely stunning!

A gothic story of manipulation and mystery, immersive and visual in its setting and tone, and characters that didn't disappoint. A favourite genre of mine that I enjoyed from start to finish.

The characters were well developed and believable throughout, and the differences between the lives of the poor and the rich felt honest and real. The pace was well balanced and kept me fully engrossed right up until the last page. My first Elizabeth Macneal read, and most definitely not my last. Will be recommending this for fans of historical and gothic reader fans.

Thank you to NetGalley Galley and Pan Macmillan for a pre released digital copy ahead of publication....I may need to purchase the physical book to add to my home collection!

This was my first Elizabeth Macneal novel but it won't be my last. I had a great time seeing how the plot came together overtime, unraveling all the ways in which Bonnie was manipulated, and seeing the characters grow despite the novel's heavy themes.
My only issue with this novel is one character in particular that I don't think was all that necessary. Maybe they were meant to be a loose end, something to always haunt Bonnie, but if that's the case I don't think it translated as well as I'd like into the story.
Still, I highly recommend this book for lovers of historical fiction set in Victorian times & all things Gothic.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Elizabeth Macneal's The Doll Factory made her a force to be reckoned with within the Historical Fiction genre, she followed it up with the Circus of Wonders which was also set within the Victorian period. With The Burial Plot she returns to the Victorians and this time she turns her eye to their fascination with death and burial, in particular the lack of burial plots within the cities . Enter Bonnie a young woman who has fallen in with an unsavoury man (Crawford) who coerces her into becoming a ladie's maid for a young girl whose father is obsessed with creating a mausoleum for his dead wife. Bonnie thought Crawford was protecting her however she soon discovers otherwise.

With our obsession with all things gothic this is bound to be popular.

Elizabeth MacNeal knocks it out of the park again. She is a very good, and very interesting writer - this is a terrific novel, and well worth reading.

Since reading Elizabeth's first book The Doll Factory, she became one of my favourite historical fiction writers. Circus of Wonders is still my favourite with its cast of the weird and the wonderful and eccentric, but the wonderful thing about her writing is the detailed research that has gone into them.

The Burial Plot is another great historical story that you can lose yourself in. The stark difference between the lives of the poor and wretched and the rich and powerful is highlighted again in its pages.

Young Bonnie escapes an arranged marriage to an old lecherous minister by running away to London where she falls under the spell of a charming, manipulative con man. From the outset you know poor Bonnie is headed for trouble as she believes herself in love with him. Cajoled into taking a job as a maid in a rich household to escape a robbery gone wrong, she is thrust into the world of the rich. But of course she is a pawn in her lover's plans she knows nothing about.

Woven into their story is how the building of the beautiful big cemeteries that appeared during Victorian times came about.

Sure to be another success for Elizabeth, especially with the stunning artwork on the cover which is sure to make readers want to pluck it off the shelves!

I haven't read anything by the author so the book was a wild card for me that I was able to enjoy.
I really liked the setting of the victorian times and that its theme was very dark (if you're not good with death and cemetries you should consider to skip this one), which I enjoyed because it just was different from other books.
I couldn't get behind every development or twist the story took though.

After reading and enjoying Elizabeth Macneals "The Doll Factory" and "Circus of Wonders", I just had to get my hands on "The Burial Plot". When I travel, I always have a look to see if there are any old and interesting cemeteries around. So the subject of the book immediatly drew me in.

We follow Bonnie, who ran away from home and an arranged marriage. But London is not how she thought it would be and she gets involved in thievery. When things go wrong one night, one of her comraders convinces her to take a position as a lady's maid in the house of Mr. Moncrieff, a widower with a daughter. But after some time she feels like all of this was planned and she has no control over her situation.

Loads of things happen in this story, sometimes a bit expected or irrealistic but overall this is an enjoyable read and I can recommend it very much! There were times I almost felt Bonnie's dread so Macneal did a good job builing the situations and locations.

Thank you NetGalley en Pan Manmillan for the digital copy in exchange for an honest review!

A great and entertaining novel! I enjoyed the fact that one of its main topics was an unconventional one: cemeteries in Victorian London and its numerous dead. I enjoyed the plot even though I could guess some events leading to the conclusion. What disturbed me somehow is the psychological development which appears to me a bit irrealistic. However, a good novel full of action as well as twists and turns.
I received a digital copy of this novel from NetGalley and I am leaving voluntarily an honest review.

Elizabeth Macneal's debut novel, "The Doll Factory," remains one of my favorite books set in Victorian England. So I approached her third book, "The Burial Plot", with great anticipation and high expectations. I am happy to say that it proved to be a satisfying read and, despite some of my personal reservations, an objectively commendable book.

The protagonist of "The Burial Plot" is Bonnie, who, along with her partner Crawford, operates within London's underworld, involved in fraud and theft. When one of their robberies goes awry and Bonnie faces the threat of execution, Crawford convinces her to assume the role of a maid in an eccentric neo-Gothic mansion owned by widower Mr. Moncrieff and his daughter. However, Bonnie soon realizes that her presence in the household serves a secondary purpose, indicating that Crawford's motives extend beyond mere concern for her well-being.

An important aspect driving the plot of the book is the growing problem of the burial of the dead in the early Victorian era. With insufficient burial grounds available, the necessity for new cemeteries became apparent. The narrative illustrates how the Victorian preoccupation with death and mourning could serve as a lucrative opportunity for those who were resourceful and enterprising.

Like the author's other works, "The Burial Plot" is meticulously grounded in historical reality. Elizabeth Macneal avoids idealizing the period and offers a portrayal that goes beyond the perspective of wealthy aristocrats. The novel also sheds light on the difficult circumstances faced by women during this period.

Overall, "The Burial Plot" didn't grab me quite as much as "The Doll Factory", perhaps because I've already read numerous stories set in creepy gothic mansions. However, the plot itself is intriguing and occasionally disturbing. I found the theme of cemetery construction particularly compelling. The characters are multidimensional and engaging, with diverse and often understandable motivations, even if they lead to tragic outcomes.

One aspect of the book that didn't resonate with me was the ending. Without giving away any spoilers, I found it difficult to make clear moral judgments about all the characters, given the complexity of the situation presented in the story. However, I recognize that this is a matter of personal preference, and I'm sure that many readers will still appreciate the ending.

Despite this minor quibble, I wholeheartedly recommend "The Burial Plot" not only to fans of Elizabeth Macneal's previous work, but also to anyone looking for an engaging novel set in the Victorian era that authentically captures the spirit of the time.